What are Doctors' Clinical Opinions Regarding Circumcision? / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Circumcision is widely practiced in Korea, but the general principles of circumcision are not established. To date, several studies on the public's attitude regarding circumcision have been reported, but there have been few studies on doctor's opinions. This study was designed to evaluate the difference of clinical opinion regarding circumcision between the doctors in South Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to the doctors working in university hospitals and primary clinics. The items of the questionnaire were for and against circumcision, the actual clinical practice of circumcision, the recommendation of circumcision, the reasons for it and the difficulties in practicing circumcision. RESULTS: Of the 1,000 questionnaires we sent out, 725 were returned. Of 233 urologists, 211 (91%) agreed with performing circumcision and of the 420 doctor of other department, 319 (76%) agreed with performing circumcision. A total of 530 doctors (81%) agreed with performing circumcision. Both the urologists and the doctors practicing in other departments selected hygiene as the reason for practicing circumcision, 155 (73%) and 254 (86%), respectively. The responses to the questionnaire revealed corresponding opinions regarding circumcision between the urologists and doctors of other departments. CONCLUSIONS: Most Korean men were found to be circumcised and they were very much satisfied with the results. In other countries, there was a difference in clinical opinions between doctors concerning circumcision; however, Korean doctors revealed a corresponding opinion regarding circumcision.